Calorimetric and Dynamic Mechanical Properties of Polymer Matrix Based Nanocomposites

Calorimetric and Dynamic Mechanical properties of polymer matrix based nano-composites are affected by the interfacial interactions between the polymer matrix and nano-filler. A brief overview of DSC and DMA will be provided to frame a discussion of the application of these two analytical techniques to optimize certain properties of several polymer nano-composite systems for a desired application. Examples will be provided for epoxy/silica, epoxy/carbon black, nano-silica based PEEK, and Nylon 6/MMT systems. An example of the application of HyperDSC to determine the presence of the Rigid Amorphous Fraction in a PMMA/SiO2 will be offered.